# Michelle Leonard

Michelle Leonard (born 5 June 1973) is a German / British singer and songwriter, now based in Berlin. Leonard has written and co-written multiple songs, both singles and for albums, that have achieved gold and platinum status. Leonard is known internationally for her work with AURORA and Paul van Dyk, as well as for her collaboration with Robin Schulz (under the stage name Solamay). As a songwriter, Leonard is currently signed to Budde Music Publishing.

## Biography

Leonard grew up in Germany, where she attended British schools. EMI Music Publishing signed her when she was 17. She had just released her first single at 16, which was a cover version of "Falling," a 1990 song by Julee Cruise that later became popular as the Twin Peaks theme song.
Leonard's first original songs included "Feel So Perfect," which was released by Cape, became a radio hit, and was used for a three-year, pan-European C&A advertising campaign. Multiple music videos and short films were created around the song. Many of her co-written songs have been used in advertisements for companies including Axe, RMS (Radio marketing services), Ford Ka and Vodafone Germany.
Some of Leonard's biggest songwriting hits have been performed by other artists. Her greatest achievements in this field have included AURORA's "Running with the Wolves," "Rooftop" by Nico Santos, and "Love Is You" by Thomas Godoj. In 2005, Leonard also worked on the song "Instant Replay" with Such a Surge, which was released on their album Alpha.
Leonard was also the performance and music director for the German Theatre Abroad project in New York and directed the musical "Electric Society," which was staged on 12 November 2005 in Cologne, Germany. In 2009, she was a judge on the German casting television show Popstars and released her debut album Fragile.
Since 2005, Leonard has been a lecturer at the Popakademie (University of Popular Music and Music Business), the Columbia College Chicago, and at the SRH Hochschule der populären Künste (College of Popular Arts) in Germany for Songwriting. In 2011, Leonard started the co-publishing company "DOLSIRA" with Universal Music Publishing, Germany, and in 2018, started "EERA" in cooperation with BMG Rights Management. In 2015, she started her own solo-artist project, Solamay, which has achieved platinum status.

## Discography
### As songwriter

| Year | Title Album | Chart Position | Chart Position | Chart Position | Chart Position | Chart Position | Chart Position | Chart Position | | Comment |
| Year | Title Album | DE | AUT | CH | FIN | SWE | UK | US | NO | Comment |
| 2002 | Hurra, Hurra, die Schule brennt Busted – Busted (Album) | 19 (7 weeks) | 20 (8 weeks) | 34 (5 weeks.) | | | | | | Translation work |
| 2004 | Save My Life Tonight Hanna Pakarinen – When I Become Me (Album) | | | | 2 (17 weeks) | | | | | |
| 2005 | Out Of Tears Hanna Pakarinen – Stronger (Album) | | | | 2 (7 weeks) | | | | | |
| 2005 | Virus Nu Pagadi – Your Dark Side (Album) | 1 (12 weeks) | 5 (10 weeks) | 6 (9 weeks) | | | | | | |
| 2005 | Sag Mir Wann Nikko Weidemann- Perfekte Welle Compilation (Album) | | | | | | | | | |
| 2006 | Celebrity Queen Alexander Klaws – Attention! (Album) | 20 (3 weeks) | 19 | 48 | | | | | | |
| 2006 | Der Turm Joachim Witt – Bayreuth 3 [Limited Edition] (Album) | 35 (3 weeks) | | | | | | | | |
| 2006 | Don't Let It Get You Down Mike Leon Grosch– Don't Let It Get You Down (Single) | 1 (11 weeks) | 6 (10 weeks) | 2 (14 weeks) | | | | | | |
| 2006 | Don't Let It Get You Down This Ride Mike Leon Grosch– Absolute (Album) | 2 (12 weeks) | 12 (4 weeks) | 6 (8 weeks) | | | | | | |
| 2006 | Living Without You, It's Over, Venom, Occupied, Tattooed On Me Sandy Mölling – Frame Of Mind (Album) | 36 | | | | | | | | |
| 2006 | Dangerzone Vanilla Ninja – Dangerzone (Single) | 21 (9 weeks) | 23 (6 weeks) | 18 (8 weeks) | | | | | | |
| 2006 | Dangerzone, Kingdom Burning Down, The Band That Never, Existed Rockstarz, Battlefield, Insane in Vain, Silence, Love Is Just A War, My Name Vanilla Ninja – Love Is War (Album) | 16 (5 weeks) | 29 (3 weeks) | 14 (9 weeks) | | | | | | EE No. 1 |
| 2006 | You And Me, Cruel To Myself Hell Yeah Valentine – Blue Merry-Go-Round (Album) | | | | | | | | | |
| 2007 | Lovesongs (They Kill Me) Cinema Bizarre – Lovesongs (They Kill Me) (Single) | 9 (9 weeks) | 32 (8 weeks) | | | | | | | FR No. 28 (19 weeks) |
| 2007 | Lovesongs (They Kill Me), Get Off, Heaven Sent Cinema Bizarre – Final Attraction (Album) | 9 (1 week) | 28 (2 weeks) | | | | | | | FR No. 24 (9 weeks) IT No. 30 (9 weeks) |
| 2007 | If I Lose You Lisa Bund – Born Again (Album) | 27 (2 weeks) | 66 (1 week) | 88 (1 week) | | | | | | |
| 2007 | Life Is A Miracle No Angels – "Kleiner Dodo" Soundtrack (Album) | | | | | | | | | Title track of the Warner Bros. Movie Kleiner Dodo |
| 2007 | Großstadtkinder, Jenny Peilomat– Großstadtkinder | | | | | | | | | |
| 2007 | Lost Northern Star, Ciárans Well, Calling Grace Tarja Turunen – My Winter Storm (Album) | 3 (4 weeks) | 11 (4 weeks) | 15 (9 weeks) | 1 (9 weeks) | 41 (1 week) | | | | NO No. 37 (1 week) SP No. 77 (1 week) FR No. 88 (1 week) |
| 2007 | Superstar, I Am Not Afraid Orange Blue – Superstar (Album) | 88 (1 week) | | | | | | | | |
| 2007 | Atomic Love, Another Day Nouveau Riche – Pink Trash (Album) | | | | | | | | | |
| 2007 | Various Songs Sistanova | | | | | | | | | |
| 2008 | Stay With Me Jesus on Extasy – Stay With Me (Single) | 1 (Alternative Charts) | | | | | | | | |
| 2008 | Love Is You Thomas Godoj – Love Is You (Single) | 1 (13 weeks) | 1 (12 weeks) | 1 (11 weeks) | | | | | | |
| 2008 | Love Is You, Too Young To Grow Old, Summer Breeze, Brand New Start Thomas Godoj – Plan A! (Album) | 1 (25 weeks) | 1 (8 weeks) | 3 (11 weeks) | | | | | | |
| 2009 | No More Days To Waste Aloha from Hell – No More Days To Waste (Single) | 59 (4 weeks) | | | | | | | | JP No. 11 |
| 2009 | Blown Away Oliver Wimmer – Blown Away (Single) | | 1 (10 weeks) | | | | | | | CH Airplay Charts No. 1 |
| 2009 | Little Riding Hood Rap Sarah Brightman – Little Riding Hood Rap (Single) | | | | | | | | | |
| 2009 | Touching And Kissing, My Obsession, Je Ne Regrette Rien, In Your Cage, Heaven Is Wrapped in Chains, I Don't Wanna Know (If You Got Laid), Out Of Love, Sad Day (For Happiness), Tears in Vegas Cinema Bizarre – ToyZ / BANG (Album) | 24 (1 week) | 44 (1 week) | | | | | | | FR No. 79 (3 weeks) IT No. 36 (3 weeks) NL No. 94 (1 week) |
| 2009 | Love in a Million Shades Hanna Pakarinen – Love in a Million Shades (Album) | | | | 7 (5 weeks) | | | | | |
| 2009 | Enough Tarja Turunen – My Winter Storm [Limited Fan Edition] (Album) | | | | | | | | | |
| 2009 | Tired Again Stanfour – Zweiohrküken(Soundtrack) | 6 (16 weeks) | 15 (9 weeks) | 56 (7 weeks) | | | | | | |
| 2010 | I Can't Dance Alone Giovanni feat. Ross Antony – I Can't Dance Alone (Single) | 26 (7 weeks) | 49 (4 weeks) | | | | | | | |
| 2010 | Anteroom Of Death, I Feel Immortal, Until My Last Breath Crying Moon Tarja Turunen – What Lies Beneath (Album) | 4 (5 weeks) | 12 (6 weeks) | 11 (4 weeks) | 7 (7 weeks) | 45 (Sweden Album Charts) (1 week) | 11 (UK Rock Chart) | 24 (US Top Heatseekers) | | Reached Chart positions in 18 countries (e.g. IT, CZ, HUN, RUS, PL, NL, BEL, MEX) |
| 2010 | Stay With Me Jesus on Extasy – Beloved Enemy (Album) | | | | | | | | | |
| 2010 | An Le Chang Zan Gary Cheng | | | | | | | | | Cantonese version of "I'm A Big Girl Now" |
| 2010 | Born To Feel Alive Gregorian – The Dark Side of the Chant (Album) | 7 (13 weeks) | 11 (16 weeks) | 20 (14 weeks) | | | | | | First English version of the song "Geboren um zu leben" by the German group Unheilig, DK No. 9 (6 weeks) |
| 2010 | Carry Me Home Sarah Connor – Real Love (Album) | 8 (8 weeks) | 15 (4 weeks) | 22 (4 weeks) | | | | | | |
| 2011 | Undercover Frida Gold – Juwel (Album) | 14 (38 weeks) | | 59 (2 weeks) | | | | | | |
| 2011 | Daddy Marla Glen – Humanology (Album) | | | | | | | | | |
| 2011 | Down The Hole And Back 3D Bertil Mark – Insight Outside (Earbook) | | | | | | | | | |
| 2011 | Carry Me Home Grant Smillie feat. Zoë Badwi – Carry Me Home (Single) | | | | | | | | | ARIA Club Charts No. 16, Album "Zoë" hit No. 36 in AU Album Chart |
| 2011 | Ich Sehe Dich Uwe Ochsenknecht – Das Große Comeback (Soundtrack) | | | | | | | | | Titelsong des ZDF TV Films Das große Comeback |
| 2011 | Sam Na Sveta Toma feat. Billy Hlapeto – Sam Na Sveta (Single) | | | | | | | | | BG No. 7 |
| 2012 | Du Fölier Väl Med Lena Philipsson – Du Fölier Väl Med (Single) | | | | | 4 | | | | |
| 2012 | Du Fölier Väl Med Lena Philipsson – Världen snurrar (Album) | | | | | 4 | | | | |
| 2012 | Lost in Berlin Love Ammunition Paul van Dyk (feat. Michelle Leonard) – Evolution (Album) | | | | | | | | | |
| 2012 | Lost in Berlin (Giuseppe Ottaviani Remix) Paul van Dyk (feat. Michelle Leonard) – Vonic Sessions 2012 (Album) | 22 (4 weeks) | | 49 (2 weeks) | | | | | | NL No. 78 (1 weeks) |
| 2012 | Anteroom Of Death, Lost Northern Star, Ciarans Well Taja Turunen – Tarja Act 1 (Live Album & DVD) | 5 (4 weeks) | 36 (1 week) | 48 (1 week) | 12 (3 weeks) | | | | | FR No. 147, BE No. 99, FI No. 12 |
| 2012 | The Knife, Beat The Winter Mikko Sipola – Making A Sound | | | | 5 | | | | | |
| 2012 | Shooting Stars Kindervater – Future Trance Vol.61 (Compilation) | 3 (Compilation Charts) | 2 (12 weeks) | 5 (8 weeks) | | | | | | |
| 2012 | Shooting Stars Kindervater – Dream Dance Vol.65 (Compilation) | 6 (Compilation Charts) | 12 (2 weeks) | 7 (6 weeks) | | | | | | |
| 2012 | Army Of Hope Michael Schulte – Wide Awake (Album) | 54 (1 week) | | | | | | | | |
| 2012 | Gloria Joachim Witt – Gloria (Single) | 74 (2 weeks) | | | | | | | | |
| 2012 | Gloria, Jetzt Geh, Tränen, Blut, Königreich, Beben, Licht Im Ozean, Komm Nie Wieder Zurück, Leichtsinn, Untergehen Joachim Witt – DOM (Album) | 6 (6 weeks) | 43 (1 week) | 68 (1 week) | | | | | | DE Alternative Charts No. 1 |
| 2012 | Brave It Out Generations – Brave It Out (Single) | | | | | | | | | Title track of the Japanese NTV Drama "Sugarless", JP # 5 Hot 100 Official Billboard, No. 9 Top 100 Airplay No. 4 Adult Contemporary Airplay, No. 6 Hot Single Sales, No. 3 Oricon Single Charts |
| 2013 | Carry Me Michael Mind Project – State Of Mind (Album) | 53 (3 weeks) | 43 (3 weeks) | | | | | | | |
| 2013 | Kein Rausch Betty Dittrich – Gute Jungs, böse Mädchen (Album) | | | | | | | | | |
| 2013 | Lock U in a Rocket, Love Love Love Zibbz – Ready? Go! (Album) | | | 14 (4 weeks) | | | | | | |
| 2013 | Gotta Remember To Forget You Angy – Drama Queen (Album) | | | | | | | | | SP No. 30 (1 week) |
| 2013 | Recognise Me Sofi de la Torre – Rubinrot (Soundtrack) | | | | | | | | | |
| 2013 | Zu Ende Mega Mega – Behalt Die Nerven (Album) | | | | | | | | | |
| 2013 | Grüne Welle MC Fitti feat. Bonnie Strange – Geilon (Album) | 2 (11 weeks) | | | | | | | | |
| 2013 | Snapshot f(x) – Pink Tape (Album) | | | | | | | 21 (US Heatseekers Albums – Billboard) | | Billboard World Album Charts No. 1, KR No. 1, JP No. 30 |
| 2013 | Gloria Gregorian – Masters Of Chant 9 (Album) | 14 (13 weeks) | 16 (4 weeks) | 29 (8 weeks) | | | | | | |
| 2013 | Brave It Out Generations – Generations (Album) | | | | | | | | | JP No. 1 |
| 2014 | Spät, Hoping (feat. Lisa Gerrard) Joachim Witt – Neumond (Album) | 8 (4 weeks) | | | | | | | | |
| 2015 | Schlachtbank Eisbrecher – Schock (Album) | 2 (33 weeks) | 11 (3 weeks) | 16 (3 weeks) | | | | | | |
| 2015 | Hearts Are Digital, Burn/fear, Electric, Angel, Just An Illusion, Lovers When It's Cold, Glory, The Matrix, Not My God, Metropolis, You Can't Save Me, (In Your) Waiting Room Jack Strify – Illusion (Album) | | | | | | | | | |
| 2015 | Gentle Gregorian – Masters Of Chant X– The Final Chapter (Album) | 8 (11 weeks) | 54 (2 weeks) | 25 (5 weeks) | | | | | | |
| 2015 | Let's Die Together, Radio Song, There Was A Time Russkaja – Peace, Love & Russian Roll (Album) | | 42 (1 week) | | | | | | | |
| 2015 | Running with the Wolves Aurora – Running with the Wolves (EP) | | | | | 5 (Aqua Charts) | | | | Title track Vodafone Campaign Germany, UK Mix Charts No. 5, NO Dance Charts No. 18 |
| 2016 | UFO Alex Mattson feat. Solamay – UFO (Single) | | | | 10 (6 weeks) | | | | | |
| 2016 | Running with the Wolves, Warrior, Eyes of a Child, Wisdom Cries Aurora – All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend (Album) | 24 (4 weeks) | 50 | 41 | | | 28 | 150 | | NO No. 1 IE No. 66 NL No. 17 AU No. 67 |
| 2016 | Recognise Me Sofi de la Torre – Smaragdgrün (Soundtrack) | | | | | | | | | Original Motion Picture Soundtrack "Emerald Green" [de] (Film/DVD Charts DE #3) |
| 2017 | Jealousy Alice Merton – No Roots (EP) | 5 | 3 | | | | | 14 (Billboard Top Alternative Albums) | | Billboard US Top Rock Albums No. 30 |
| 2017 | My Girls, Bff, Vergiss Mein Nicht Hanni & Nanni – Mehr Als Beste Freunde (Film Soundtrack) | | | | | | | | | |
| 2017 | Charming Horses Remix Edit Jam feat. Solamay – Invaded (EP) | | | | | | | | | |
| 2017 | Hey Road, Send You An Angel, Still in Love, Volle Kraft Voraus Russkja – Kosmopoliturbo (Album) | | 27 (1 week) | | | | | | | |
| 2017 | Krieger, Alle in Einem Boot, Wo Geht Der Teufel Hin, Herz Auf, Der Wahnsinn Eisbrecher – Strumfahrt (Album) | 1 (9 weeks) | 10 | 8 | | | | | | |
| 2017 | Killin' It Laz Perkins feat. Mad Ice & Bang for the Buck – Killin' It (Single) | | | | | | | | | |
| 2017 | Rooftop Nico Santos – Rooftop (Single) | 5 (32 weeks) | 2 (24 weeks) | 5 (29 weeks) | | | | | | DE Airplay Charts No. 1 |
| 2017 | Herzstreik Alina – Die Einzige (Album) | 26 (12 weeks) | | 100 (1 week) | | | | | | |
| 2017 | Taboo Moody – Taboo (Single) | | | | | | | | | |
| 2018 | Liebe Ist Safe Glasperlenspiel – Licht & Schatten (Album) | 5 (10 weeks) | | | | | | | | |
| 2018 | Dig Deep Lxandra – Dig Deep (Single) | | | | | | | | | |
| 2018 | Trick Nicki & Freddi & The Sixties – Ku'damm 59 (Soundtrack) | | | | | | | | | Original Motion Picture Soundtrack "Ku'damm 59" |
| 2018 | Never Let You Down Michael Schulte – Never Let You Down (Single) | | | | | | | | | |
| 2018 | Not Yours Halie – Not Yours (Single) | | | | | | | | | |
| 2018 | Rooftop, Heatwave Nico Santos – Streets Of Gold (Album) | 25 (3 weeks) | 69 (1 week) | 29 (2 weeks) | | | | | | |
| 2019 | Honeymoon Heartbreak Alice Merton – Mint | 2 (7 weeks) | 19 (1 week) | 21 (1 week) | | | | | | IT No. 62 (2 weeks) |
| 2019 | The Seed Aurora - A Different Kind Of Human (Step 2) | 58 (1 week) | 66 (1 week) | 54 (1 week) | | | | | | NO No. 4 (5 weeks), BE No. 172 (1 week) |
| | Solitary Soul Michael Leonardi – Solitary Soul (Album) | | | | | | | | | |
| 2024 | The Essence, When The Dark Dresses Lightly, Starvation, The Blade Aurora – What Happened to the Heart (Album) | 5 (8 weeks in Germany) | 15 (5 weeks in Austria) | 18 (4 weeks in Switzerland) | 20 (3 weeks in Finland) | 10 (6 weeks in Sweden) | 22 (2 weeks in the UK) | | 3 (12 weeks in Norway) | |
| 2025 | Wankelmut, Emma Wells - Sun Goes Down (Single) | | | | | | | | | |
| Year | Title Album | Chart Position | Chart Position | Chart Position | Chart Position | Chart Position | Chart Position | Chart Position | Comment |
| Year | Title Album | DE | AUT | CH | FIN | SWE | UK | US | Comment |
| 2009 | Fragile | | | | | | | | Debut album |

#### Singles

| Year | Title Single | Chart Position | Chart Position | Chart Position | Chart Position | Chart Position | Chart Position | Chart Position | Comment |
| Year | Title Single | DE | AUT | CH | FIN | SWE | UK | US | Comment |
| 2009 | Where Did We Go Wrong | 6 (16 weeks) | 15 (9 weeks) | 56 (7 weeks) | | | | | (Soundtrack "Zweiohrküken") |